The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1887-11-26
The RERTILLON METHOD.
An Almost InfalIibie system OF Identify.
ing Criminals.

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The supporters of Alphonse Bertil-
Ions new method of Identifying Grim
inals have proposed to Warden Shirley
of San Quentin prison to adopt the
system. 1t has already been intro
duced in the Joliet Qll.) penitentiary,
and Warden McClaughrey pronounced
the system perfect and recommends it.
The new method of Identification is
by anthropometric descriptions. The
system is founded on the extreme diver
sity of dimensions of the bony structure
of the human race. The infinite va
riety of feature is admitted, and on this
police authorities have heretofore placed
absolute dependence. A Photographic
likeness of the man wanted, ."
with a meager personal description,
has been enough to warrant the deten-
ton of persons. who were caused trou-
BILE and delay in proving the necessary
alibi. Under the new system, it is
claimed, no such blunder can occur
and no criminal under an assumed
name will be able to successfully plead
"frst offense." There will be no need
for aliases, and the razor and hair dye
will be no longer serviceable. Such an
accomplishment certainly would be ex-
traordinary, and yet these and other
claims have been made for it by those
familiar with its workings in France,
where it has been most valued ad-
junct to police efforts.
The Identification of a prisoner rests
upon the knowledge of the following
indications: Length and width of head,
length of left middle and little fingers,
length of left foot, length of left fore
arm, length Of right ear, height of fig
ure, measurement of outstretched arms
and measurement of the trunk. To
these principal divisions the descrip-
ton Of scars and peculiar marks, with
the color of hair and beard, as well as
the form and dimensions of nose, is to
be added. These measurements ne
cessitate the use of caliper compasses,
sliding compasses and three graduated
measures. The metric system is used
in all the operations, as it is simpler,
and therefore better than the English
system of measurement The head S
length is measured with the calipers,
one point of which is placed in the cav
ity at the root of the nose, and the
maximum point is exactly determined
and recorded. 1t is usually found on
the occipital bone, sometimes a little
above it. The greatest width of the
head is taken with the same instrument
from one parietai to the other, and in
a somewhat similar manner. To meas
ure the foot the subject is required to
stand in such a position that his whole
weight will be thrown on the left foot.
The length of the forearm may, to a
certain extent, be influenced by trick
cry. either by the bending of the fin
gers or by an exaggeration of the
natural arch of the wrist. This must
be guarded against by the operator.
The mechanism of the system is this:
The record is classified and filed, SO
that it will be very simple to find any
description very readily. The system
contemplates the measurement of a
man upon his arrest. If the ''anthro-
pometric description" corresponds to
any on file, it is then a fair assumption
that he may be the man, and it is in.
vestigated. Experience in France has
demonstrated that no two men in 100,-
600 who were recorded had the same
measurements, ard the few years oper-
alton of the system in Paris increased
the number of old criminals from 40 tc
| 850.-San Francisco Chronicle.